Lesson Ideas

Want to learn the best way to distribute stuff? In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and Moby show you how numbers can share, as they introduce you to the distributive property. You’ll learn what a distributive problem might look like, and where to begin. Discover what the distributive property means and how you can re-write a problem so you can solve it with a calculator. You’ll find out what order means - and doesn’t mean—when numbers are combined, and you’ll learn about which two types of operations the distributive property holds true for. Everyone wins when you share!

In this lesson plan which is adaptable for grades 3-12, students work collaboratively to research selected math skills. Students then create, play, and assess a math game that is designed to apply and reinforce their selected math concept. This lesson plan is aligned to Common Core State Standards. See more »

Comments

Recent Distributive Property Quizzes

Note: Mixer quizzes are only available to school-wide BrainPOP subscribers.

Use tiling to show in a concrete case that the area of a rectangle with whole-number side lengths a and b + c is the sum of a × b and a × c. Use area models to represent the distributive property in mathematical reasoning.

Grade: 04

CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.3

Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.

Grade: 04

CCSS.Math.Content.4.OA.A.2

Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem, distinguishing multiplicative comparison from additive comparison.1

Grade: 05

CCSS.Math.Content.5.OA.A.1

Use parentheses, brackets, or braces in numerical expressions, and evaluate expressions with these symbols.

Grade: 05

CCSS.Math.Content.5.OA.A.2

Write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them. For example, express the calculation “add 8 and 7, then multiply by 2” as 2 × (8 + 7). Recognize that 3 × (18932 + 921) is three times as large as 18932 + 921, without having to calculate the indicated sum or product.

Grade: 06

CCSS.Math.Content.6.NS.B.4

Find the greatest common factor of two whole numbers less than or equal to 100 and the least common multiple of two whole numbers less than or equal to 12. Use the distributive property to express a sum of two whole numbers 1–100 with a common factor as a multiple of a sum of two whole numbers with no common factor. For example, express 36 + 8 as 4 (9 + 2)..